A Retrograde Neolithic Backward Step

Tribalism Puts Racism On Steroids

Maori in New Zealand (or at least some of them) have paddled themselves well up the creek and lost the paddle.  With a peculiar strain of deeply ingrained racism they have had the effrontery to argue that there is something racially superior in Maori adults taking care of and raising Maori children.  

So, when a Maori person (male or female) has a long history of child neglect and abuse, and when the State moves to take the vulnerable children away from the irresponsible and neglectful parent(s), it is interpreted as a racist attack upon Maori.  They go on to insist that if it were true that the parent(s) have neglected and harmed children in their care, it remains essential that the children be raised by "whanau"--by which is meant the wider tribe of the irresponsible parents and relatives. 

Such tribalism is generally regarded in other jurisdictions as primitive and backward.  And rightly so.  Racism is bad enough.  Tribalism is worse.  It is worse because not only does it discriminate negatively between races, but its "refinement" insists upon discriminating between Maori tribes.  If racism is evil, tribalism is exponentially evil. 

Winston Peters is not a politician we generally hold in high regard.  But on these issues we warmly endorse his stand.

Peters was also asked about the Hands Off Our Tamariki rally being held at Parliament on Tuesday.

In a statement about the rally, the group said: "In recent weeks Māori organisations, iwi and collectives have sent an overwhelming message to government that they must end the taking of tamariki Māori and give decision-making power and resources to hapū, iwi and Kaupapa Māori organisations for the wellbeing of tamariki Māori, and keep Māori babies within whānau."

Peters said: "As somebody who spent his whole life in the Māori world, in that context of growing up in a Māori settlement way up north, let me say that we're hearing a lot of language from certain radical Māori, in my view, that somewhat suggests that the very culture or family that spawned this child in the first place, that has seen this child brutalised and damaged, is the place where we can safely repose that child, and we want the healing process to start.  Now, how on earth does that work?

"The reality is you've got a lot of people in the social welfare system, or in Oranga Tamariki, who are genuine, who go to work every day hoping to do the best they possibly can. And they're all being dumped into some sort of criticism of being hopeless, culturally insensitive, and don't care. It ain't true," Peters said.

Ah, but then again, Peters is from Ngapuhi tribe and what else would you expect from Ngapuhi than a bunch of ignorant lies and blatant racism, eh?